www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Poll: Where do you stand on the RDL?

This is what I have been trying to get a "feel" for as well. Just how valid a cross-section is this? I am not taking sides, but on this forum, it seems the same few people are doing all the commenting. Also, recently the Metropolia newspaper said something to the effect that the RDL was going well, except for a cyber war that was going on. Is this the cyber war? I would like to know where we can get accurate data that is a cross-section and that can be independently verified.

As of right now, 51-53 votes, I see the greatest disparity in the implementation of the RDL.

While the text, music, rubrics, and books average 11.75 people in favor, the implementation has only 7 with any degree of favoring it. It also has a lower than average neutrality, with the other four having 4.25 and implementation having only 4. That means that even those who support the RDL are not happy with the way it's been carried out.

Also interesting is the much higher than average neutrality for the revised rubrics. While the other four average 3.25, the rubrics have a neutrality of 8. We can surmise that many people are not directly affected or aware of the new rubrics and therefore withhold an opinion.

The highest support goes to the books, with 15 people in favor, while the rest average 9.75 in favor. That is what brings the average of text, music, rubrics, books, and implementation as a whole to the favorable level of 10.8 people, which is higher than the 10 people who favor it as a whole.

Anyone else notice any trends?

As Rusyn expalined, those on this board are informed and vocal. If the majority is apathetic about the reformation, then perhaps we are not a proper representation? In regards to the article by Rev Galadza in the BCW: I find his review to be bias in favor of the RDL. Is he perhaps a good friend of one or more of the reformers? He writes off the "cyber revolution" as an inconsequential nuisance. Hmmm? One wonders why there is no place for articles in the BCW written by those who oppose this sweeping revision. Meanwhile there are a good number of our own priests who are highly disappointed with the Ruthenian reformation. I thank the Lord that this forum is available for those of us who are deeply injured by an untimely and error-filled (my opinion) re-translation of our beloved Divine Liturgy.

R

I would expect Prof. Thompson and Fr. David to vote. They believe, based on their personal experiences and professional studies, that this is a positive move for our church. I see no reason that their opinion would need to be recused because they were on the RDL commissions. In the same way, I see no reason that a person would be disqualified from having an opinion because he or she was or was not born into the Church. It affects us all alike, clergy or laity, cradle or convert. There is a spectrum of opinions and all of them should be encouraged to participate and voice the positive or negative effects the RDL is having on their lives and worship.

I feel this nuanced and anonymous poll is allowing that to take shape.

I think you noticed an interesting point. We are seeing that only those who hold strongly passionate opinions in favor or against tend to comment. We have some 54 people last I looked who feel they have an opinion enough to vote in the poll (with 3.8 averaging neutral) but who do not want to discuss or debate their individual experiences or opinions. That the overwhelming majority of them (40 last I looked) were overall disaffected with the RDL but they do not feel the desire to speak of their experiences is interesting. It makes one wonder how many more are out there who have an opinion but do not want to discuss it with others. They lurk and watch with disappointment, but do not enter the fray. How many more in our churches are doing the same thing?

This is unseemly.

You people should be ashamed of yourself. You don't run the Church. Christ, through the bishops governs and guides us. Clearly, some of you are very young.

I guess you were raised in the church of "pray, pay and obey".

For your information, last time I checked bishops are not infallible. Or should we blindly follow them, regardless of what they do/teach? Must be nice to be able to give up all personal responsibility and put one's soul completely in the hands of the hierarchs. Sadly, many people here are too educated to do that.

Oh to be young again!

Ashamed? Is that a judgement? Had St Athanasius (and others) not taken a stand, we would all be Arian today. How far are we suppose to take obedience? A strong conviction for the truth does not warrant shame. Be careful my friend.

OK. Let's stop this right now before it goes any further. It was only through the great mercy of the administrators that this poll was allowed to be placed here. (Before a concern arises, it was this petty fighting that they were concerned about the conversation devolving into that led them to ban all polls in the RDL section.) Please keep all discussion to the poll and non-personal.

We have enough to discuss without calling each other names, making judgments as to age or maturity, or questioning the faithfulness of others. Expressing our experiences and feedback is a legitimate use of our time and skills. Any who do not wish to participate are asked to please pray for our church and to move onto another thread.

Amen. May God bless you for this voice of reason.

Care to back up such conjecture?


Ahhhh, the spirit of Byzcath...Cheap shot attack from behind an alias....<sigh>

It would be wise to heed the words of "wondering" and attempt to refrain from attacking or counter-attacking.

Getting back to topic. The poll is quite interesting. It makes me wonder if there is a silent majority in our parishes who are displeased but not vocal. Someone on this board has begun a petition in their Church to acquire signatures (not unlike a poll).

Some of the comments on this poll thread are unwarranted and are uncharitable and even demeaning. If you want this poll to continue, I strongly suggest you vote, maybe offer a charitable observation and leave it at that as long as it is sticking to the topic of this thread. If not this thread and poll will be short-lived. This will be the only warning given.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+
Administrator

Thank you Father - the numbers will speak for themselves (and already have).

My family and I voted with our feet. And then wrote to the Metropolitan, the Eparch and others known to have been involved in formulating the RDL, stating that we felt we had been driven out of our church by the RDL. We concluded our letters (as humbly and graciously as one can do such a thing) by asking each of them to consider resigning.